


paradise ain't lost, it's found

by redlight



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: BDSM Scene, Boot Worship, Dom Julian, Dom Nadia, Dom/sub, Dom/sub Play, Established Relationship, F/M, Fade to Black, Intimacy, Kink Exploration, Leather Kink, Multi, Other, Pet Names, Praise Kink, Shoe Kink, Sub Asra, Subspace, THIS IS JUST 1.8K OF ASRA BEING A SUB OKAY, boot lacing, but julian and nadia are bickering like an old married couple on the sly its fine, its mostly asra/julian and asra/nadia, julian still needs to call nadia ma'am, soft dom julian fucks me up, they/them pronouns for Asra, this is really just m rated fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2020-03-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:01:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23041396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redlight/pseuds/redlight
Summary: “Now, Asra,” Nadia coos softly, her chin perched on Julian’s shoulder and her words soft and directional. “Everything’s alright with you?”“Yes,” they breathe out, a little more heavy than they meant it to be, a little needier than they thought theycouldbe. “Y-yes, everything’s alright, this—this is good.”The corner of Julian’s mouth crooks up insufferably. Asra almostpoutsat him.
Relationships: Asra & Julian & Nadia (The Arcana), Asra/Julian Devorak, Asra/Julian Devorak/Nadia, Asra/Nadia (The Arcana), Julian Devorak/Nadia
Comments: 2
Kudos: 79





	paradise ain't lost, it's found

**Author's Note:**

> what up im back with they/them sub asra bc im That Bitch 
> 
> title from "wave(s)" by lewis del mar

Asra doesn’t usually drop this hard, but this is a rather _special_ set of circumstances, and as soon as their knees hit the ground they feel a little hazed-dazed already.

Still, it’s not often they get to be here, in this position, and they blink up slowly at Nadia and Julian above them. Julian’s got this disheveled, half-surprised half-delighted smirk on his face of _course_ he does, even as his cheeks are flushed from Nadia pressing heartbreaking-looking kisses to the back of his neck, and Asra almost _almost_ wishes they were in his place instead.

 _This_ , though, this is a rare treat, and perhaps Asra can be a little greedy for treats at times.

Nadia and Julian are sitting atop the bed, Julian with his knees spread and his feet on the floor and his usually-filthy boots placed at a safe distance, Nadia perched up behind him with her slender arms around his shoulders and her watchful eyes gazing down at Asra with a sort of mischief they haven’t seen on her in quite awhile.

It looks damn good, is the thing, mischief on her, it _does_ —and that sends the magic in Asra’s veins reeling a little, sends their heart into tipsy-topsy spinning circles. And Asra really is good at snapping themself out of spiralling, but _today is a special occasion, can’t it be?_ says some needy-greedy part of themself, and Asra has definitely been spending too much time with Julian to be giving in so easily like this.

It’s almost odd to be here, _here_ , in between Julian's legs, on their knees with a soft down pillow underneath provided by Nadia to cushion them from the marble floor. Maybe this is partially punishment for Julian, too, considering how Nadia whispers something soft into his beet-root red ear and how he chuckles nervously. Asra doesn’t find it in themself to pay too much attention when they get to have _this_ instead.

“Now, Asra,” Nadia coos softly now, her chin perched on Julian’s shoulder and her words soft and directional. “Everything’s alright with you?”

“ _Yes_ ,” they breathe out, a little more heavy than they meant it to be, a little needier than they thought they _could_ be. “Y-yes, everything’s alright, this—this is good.”

The corner of Julian’s mouth crooks up insufferably. Asra almost _pouts_ at him.

They _don’t_ , ‘cause doing so would let him _win_ , even just a little, but Asra tastes faint metallic on their wave-chapped lips anyway.

Still, there’s a look in Julian’s eyes, and an _intensity_ in Nadia’s seemingly gentle smile. It has Asra lowering their eyes to the floor out of instinct again, _what’s this, what could that be? sorry but something else has preoccupied my interest—_

Except their eyes keep floating back to Julian’s leather boots and the shine of Nadia’s painted fingernails digging into his shoulder.

“Oh, darling—“ Julian breathes out, his voice raspier already, his fingers reaching out to Asra before Nadia gently grips his wrist. She murmurs something that Asra just _can’t hear_ no matter how hard they strain their ears, sends their mind spinning and heats the magic in their veins until they _squirm_.

Whatever it is, it makes Julian tense up. Makes him straighten up his back, makes him clear his throat.

“Darlin',” Julian starts off as careful as a mouse emerging from its den. “You look beautiful, you know that?”

Asra’s mouth falls open without intention, and their cheeks feel _hot_ as small butterflies crawl up their throat. They snap their mouth closed quickly before any wings can creep out.

“So pretty," Nadia murmurs, stretching out one of her bare feet to rest on Asra's tensed shoulder. Her skin is smooth, warm through the paper-thin silk upon their skin. "You do know how to go about this properly, don't you, Ilya? I do love a good show, and I wouldn't want to get up off my seat and direct you how to do this again, would I?"

"No, ma'am," Julian breathes out, half a squeak. Asra hums and leans into Julian's knee again, pleased with her tone.

Still, Asra’s shoulders are _steadily_ approaching their ears, the heat in their face can’t be chilled and their heartbeat is the drumsound of heavy rain as Julian leans forward and entwines his gloved fingers in Asra’s hair. The leather is soft, smells _amazing_ when Asra tries to chase the grip of it, and Julian chuckles broken and raspy.

“You know what to do, don’t you, darling?” he drawls out, almost dreamy. “Gonna be good for us, aren’t you, angel.” Heavy scent is right near Asra’s nose, leather-laden thumb is pressing their lips open. “So let’s start, shall we?”

They've been over this, they’ve all discussed it, but Asra’s heart still pounds and their fingers still shake as they take hold of Julian’s leather boots—cleaned and ready just for _this_ , gleaming yet cracked from use.

Nadia’s foot ever-so gently presses down on Asra’s shoulder, now, ‘til they can’t help but go _down down down_ until their forehead almost touches the ground. They almost feel blasphemous for a second, but Nadia’s voice rings out clear and soft.

“ _Oh_ , darling, we still want to see your face. No need for that.”

Asra peeks up to see her expression and—yes, she’s smiling all sweet and fond, manicured nails playing with her own hair as though she herself is a little distraught and nervous, which makes Asra—sigh, quietly, and smile up at her.

And then they _finally_ get to work.

They've done this before, with Nadia's strappy golden heels, expensive and beautiful and silk-soft on Asra's jittering hands. They've done this before, and somehow their heart has never spiraled out of control before, so they take a deep breath and try to will their body to know that it is _not_ bursting into flames any second, but then Nadia smiles at them and the heel of her foot rests on Asra's collarbone and _that_ makes their fingers slip a little.

"Let's try that again, Asra."

Asra blinks, shivering. “But I—”

“ _Again_. You know I don’t appreciate sloppy work.”

Maybe their hands are too slippery, grip too shaky. They pick up one of Julian’s boots again, soft worn leather a treat against their skin.

Asra sighs softly and falls into the steady routine and rhythm of lacing up Julian's boots. They fall into an oft-unfamiliar headspace like this—this is more of Julian's thing, really, servicing and satisfying. Asra feels the soft stiff laces of the boots, the way the material cuts slightly into their fingers if they let it.

Loops and knots and threading becomes instinctual and soothing, and they lower their head when they're finished, pressing their cheek against clean, soft leather.

"Better," Nadia's voice rings out above their head. "Wasn't that so much better, Julian? Won't you tell Asra how good they're being?"

Asra peeks up through their hair, shy as they tuck their hands between their thighs for lack of anything else to do with them—and sure enough, Julian's cheeks flush a slight red as he looks down at them, intense and _wanting_. Asra can't help but shiver.

"So, so good," he practically sighs out. Warm fingers rake through Asra's hair, lifting their head higher and higher 'til they can rest their chin on Julian's knee. "We still want to see your face, darling, don't forget that."

It's not fair, Asra thinks, almost petulant. It's not _fair_ , that Julian gets to be more put-together than they are, for once, and it's not _fair_ that Nadia looks so pleased with the whole thing, and it's _not not not fair_ that Asra is hot between their thighs like flashfire.

"Won't you come here, angel?" Julian rasps out, and his mouth slopes into a grin, just a _hint_ of cockiness staining it all. He pats his lap, and Asra swallows, and they clamber up into it.

His hands are big—Asra doesn't think about this, not really, but Julian's hands are just so _big_ and sturdy against their hips. He makes them feel little, makes them feel small, thumbs rubbing circles into the thin fabric hiding their flushed skin.

It's maddening.

Nadia meets Asra's eyes from where she's resting her chin on Julian's shoulder, her arms languid and stretched around the man's broad shoulders. Asra feels shy again, suddenly, because it's _Nadia_ , and the Countess has always been so friendly and tolerable of Asra's antics, but like _this_ it's just—

"Hi," Asra breathes out, and Julian _beams_ at them.

"You are _so cute_." He lifts Asra's chin higher, shifts so they're straddling his lap comfortably. "So sweet and pretty—see, Nadia? I told you we could get our tricky little angel to be so obedient."

"They are being quite good," Nadia says warmly, meeting their eyes with a prim smile on her lips—warm, yes, gentle with an undercurrent of brandy and burning. "Is that right, Asra? Could you keep doing this for the rest of the night? _Would_ you?"

Asra's cheeks burn like sugar to caramel, their heartbeat is frantic, but Julian's hands are so warm and secure on their hips and, and—

They swallow, not out of nerves, not out of fear, but with anticipation. And they smile shyly. "Y-yes, Miss Nadia."

Julian laughs again, in awe and delight and whatever other soft intensity lurks within his chest, and he presses a kiss against Asra's jaw. "Good. _Such_ a good angel." His hand rests across the small of Asra's back, unhurried, gently possessive. "C'mon now, darlin'—it's time to do up Nadia's shoes."

Asra nods, and lets Julian guide them back to the floor again, making sure their knees are against the pillows, that they're perfectly cozy, and Asra's head just spins pleasantly as they see Nadia take her place in front of them.

"Hello, angel," Nadia murmurs, smiling as she ruffles Asra's hair with well-manicured nails. "You know what to do."

"Yes, Miss Nadia."

"Very good."

Nadia's shoes are familiar, and Asra has learned the clasps and buckles and fine tidy stitching. Muscle memory guides them, soft material and shiny heels, practiced but slow-going, repetitive, aware, mindful—

Asra squeaks when a heavy thump of weight sounds out behind them, and then Julian's hands are on their waist again, his head resting on top of their own in an imitation of Nadia's earlier hold on him.

"Oh, don't mind me," Julian says, teasing. "Just watchin'." His breath warm flows against their hair. Asra squirms, tries not to pout, and finishes fixing up Nadia's shoes.

" _Good_ ," Nadia says, and she cups Asra's face with her hand. "You've done so well for us, love. Thank you, Asra."

Asra grins up at her, shy but proud, and Julian chuckles softly. His fingers slide up the thin material of Asra's shirt, fluttering like wings against their skin.

"Our angel deserves a reward, don't you think so, Nadia?"

"Hm, Julian?"

" _—ma'am_ , _"_ Julian corrects himself, and Asra hides a smile behind their hand. Nadia hums in contemplation, but she's already pulling Asra up into the bed.

"I think you're quite right, Julian. Let's reward them, shall we?"

Julian’s voice is low and hot against the back of Asra’s neck, and they can’t help but shiver at his tone.

“I think we _shall_ , ma’am.”


End file.
